Thiess wins US$141 million Sydney cable tunnel contract

Thiess has announced that it has won a US$141 million contract from Ausgrid – Australia’s largest electricity distributor, to deliver the 132kV City East Cable Tunnel (CECT) in Sydney.

At around 3.2km-long, the segmentally-lined, 3.5m-diameter tunnel will connect the existing City North substation in Sussex Street to a new substation in Riley Street, Surrey Hills.
Thiess managing director Bruce Munro welcomed the contract as a further endorsement of the Thiess diverse portfolio of tunnelling achievements.
“From our pioneering role building the tunnels of the Snowy Mountains scheme to major road and service tunnels, Thiess is proud to be working with Ausgrid to deliver this vital electricity infrastructure,” Mr Munro said.

This new contract for Thiess follows on the heels of its completion last year of Ausgrid’s City West Cable Tunnel (CWCT), said to have met the client’s expectations, particularly in the realm of safety.
Glen Ashton, Thiess’ general manager of tunnelling, said: “We had no lost time injuries during more than 820 working days and we look forward to delivering the same performance for Ausgrid on the new project.”

Also included in the CECT project is the construction of two concrete lined connectors, an extension to the City South Cable Tunnel, and installation and commissioning of all tunnel mechanical and electrical services. The project is scheduled for completion in 2015.

Thiess is one of Australia’s leading construction, mining and services contractors and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings.